Free Capturing A Highland Knight by F.S. Hyman Page A

Annabelle swung around to face him.  Colm’s expression was one of surprise and then irritation.  Annabelle’s was also surprised.
                  “Annabelle was showing me a trick she has learned,” Colm said evenly.  Derek glanced at him, but he kept his eyes on Annabelle.
                  She was beautiful with her cheeks flushed from her recent excursion.  Her eyes were wide and she stared at him without blinking.  Derek found himself falling into the fathoms of her beautiful green eyes.
                  Derek grunted.  The noise angered Annabelle.
                  “What does that noise mean?  Ye doona think a mere woman could defend herself?” she challenged him.
                  Derek watched the expression in her eyes turn to anger.  Her chin was tilted in defiance. 
                  “A woman is too weak to defend against a warrior intent on killing her,” he said smugly, his gaze never leaving her face.
                  Colm stepped toward him to defend her, but Annabelle beat him to it.
                  “Why ye…” she scowled before she lunged at him.
                  Derek was surprised by the attack, but quickly recovered and grabbed her raised arm and twisted it behind her back bringing her body against his.
                  “See,” he chuckled.  “Ye are too weak to defend yerself.  I perceive that Colm was only humoring ye and let ye think ye had bested him.”
                  Annabelle’s gaze went toward Colm as she struggled against Derek’s hold.  Colm only looked on with a hooded gaze.  She growled and brought her foot back against his shin.  Surprised, he loosened his hold on her and she wrenched free.
                  “Ye are despicable, Derek MacDougal!  Doona ever touch me again,” she said as she turned and fled back to the keep.
                  Derek took a step to follow her, but Colm stepped in his way.  Derek looked at him with a raised brow.
                  “I dinna let her beat me, Derek,” he said quietly.
                  Derek looked into his friend’s eyes.  What he saw confirmed what he had already suspected.  Colm was in love with Annabelle, and that irritated him.
                  “Come to the keep, Colm.  The priest is here,” he said walking around Colm and going to find Annabelle.
                  Colm watched Derek go back to the keep vowing that if Derek hurt Annabelle, he would defend her honor, even if it was to the death.

 
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Chapter 8
     
                  Derek strode into the keep.  He was furious, more at himself than at Annabelle.  He should expect resistance from her, but it was not something he was used to.  Most of the women he had dealt with in the past sought him out. He had always been able to placate even the most resistant female.  They had always given up in the end.   He did not know how to handle this one.  She was different.  This was going to be harder than he thought.  And then add in the fact that his good friend was in love with the very woman he was going to marry was enough to stoke his anger.
                  “What has happened?” Megan asked as he strode past her.
                  “Nothing,” he growled.
                  “The priest is ready to perform the ceremony when ye are.”
                  Derek growled.  He just kept up the stairs. 
                  “What should I tell the priest?” she called after him.
                  “We will be down shortly,” he grumbled and headed toward his bedchamber.
                  Derek did not know how he knew she was there, but he burst through the door startling her at the window.  The look on her face stopped him in his tracks.  There